Marshals oversee the line-up and flow of graduates during the event, playing a crucial role, especially in Manual Advance ceremonies. These ceremonies use Manual Advance when graduates need to be scanned at a location farther from the stage. Once scanned, graduates enter a queue in the software. As the line approaches the stage, it is essential graduates remain in the order they were scanned to ensure correct name announcements. This is where the Graduate Marshal is vital.

The Graduate Marshal's responsibility is to ensure graduates maintain an organized line as they approach the stage area and to communicate effectively with the person advancing the names in the software.

Depending on the ceremony, marshals have a wide variety of important roles. There are two common cases where marshals are a key part of a successful MarchingOrder implementation.

We recommend that a marshal is present at the graduate release point, prompting them to walk at the proper moment. This marshal plays an especially vital role as they can coordinate with the name reader, card scanner, and other on-stage parties to ensure a smooth, high-quality video shot.

Prior to the stage ramp, we recommend that a marshal checks with each graduate to confirm that they have a printed graduate card or GradPass. Graduates that forgot their card can be sent to their seat to retrieve it. If graduates are using GradPass, the marshal should inspect the grads screen for both brightness and any cracks, as these can cause problems. This marshal can also carry a marker and blank index card as a final redundancy measure.